Newly-appointed Lord Toby Young has joined a cross-party parliamentary group dedicated to protecting free speech, just 24 hours after taking his seat in the House of Lords.
The free speech campaigner, who founded the Free Speech Union in 2019, was nominated for his peerage by Kemi Badenoch and installed in the upper chamber earlier this week.
Now, he has become a key member of a new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) established to scrutinise Labour government legislation that could threaten free expression.
The group was formed amid growing concerns over several bills from the new Labour administration that are perceived as potential threats to free speech in Britain.
Newly appointed Lord Toby Young is a key part of the group
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The APPG was established yesterday afternoon by former Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden, who will lead the group alongside Labour MP Graham Stringer and Baroness Claire Fox.
The cross-party initiative brings together MPs and Lords from across the political spectrum to defend free speech rights. The group plans to invite speakers to the Commons to discuss the importance of free expression.
A key focus will be examining all new legislation from the Labour government to ensure it does not restrict Britons’ right to speak freely.
The appointment of Lord Young, a long-time free speech advocate, marks a significant addition to the group’s expertise in defending individual liberties.
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Baroness Claire Fox
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Labour MP Graham Stringer is part of the group
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Speaking to the Express, Holden highlighted several upcoming bills that could impact free speech, including the Football Governance Bill, changes to the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, and the Employment Rights Bill.
The Employment Rights Bill has sparked particular concern, with claims it could create ‘banter police’ in pubs by making bar staff liable for offensive comments made by customers.
Lord Young described the proposed law as a “Snowflakes’ charter”.
It’s clear that whether it’s on our university campuses, in our civil service, or even in football, free speech is a big target,” Holden told the Express, adding that MPs and peers must “come together to defend this most important of values.”
Former Conservative Party Chairman Richard Holden is also part of the group
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Baroness Fox welcomed the new APPG, emphasising the importance of legislative vigilance across political lines.
“It is brilliant to have this new APPG as it is very important that we legislators across the political spectrum, are alert to a seemingly endless array of threats to free speech,” she said.
She highlighted the group’s role as “a canary in the coal mine” in identifying censorious trends.
The Baroness pledged to ensure “that the public knows that some of us will not allow the illiberal censoriousness – that seems to be second nature to those running Labour’s policy wing – to go unchallenged in parliament & to be highlighted to citizens via the media.”
